Violets Never Die
by Alpha Centauri
Summary: [AU Uchihacest] For if hope never dies, there might be a chance that the two will see each other again even if neither knows that they're brothers and the only thing connecting them both are two halves of a photograph.
1. WolfㅡMask

**Violets Never Die**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. Wish I owned Sasuke though...

**Warnings: Uchihacest **and probably a couple of other things too. Oh yeah, un-betaed.

**Dedication: Kurosaisei/Ayatsuji**-sama because she pwns :D hope you like it -bows-

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**A.C.:** Uhh I've always wanted to do a Naruto-fic and I believe that I'm finally going suicidal from... graduating into the senior year... yay me... my country has the highest highschool senior suicide rates, we'll see how that turns out... Anyways, this fic is based on a movie that I haven't watched... actually I'm not sure it's a movie at all. Never mind then. --;;

-Takes a deep breath-

This story is an AU. Obito never died, the Uchiha massacre never happened. Itachi's family was broken up during the time Kyuubi ran a mock. Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Sasuke are said to have fled when the nine-tailed demon trampled the compound to bits. As a result Fugaku and Itachi live together in a rebuilt Uchiha compound.

Err... Itachi hasn't gone psychotic, he's kinda friendly with Naruto because... Fugaku hates Naruto so in some weird juxtaposition, it makes Itachi friendly with him... somehow.

See plot holes? Blame it on the AU

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It was amazing how what was once a prestigious family had fallen so far. His father bellowed once more and Itachi lowered his head quietly in submission. This was not new; nothing would change if he spoke up. Uchiha Fugaku paced across the worn tatami mats before throwing down his sake bottle at his feet and breaking it into pieces. As angry as he was, not even the inhibited patriarch dared to strike at the Uchiha prodigy before police meeting in the morn. Pain and violence would come afterwards, the sunken eyes promised, _if _the man had enough strength to stay awake in the morning. 

When the heaving yells died down in the cold, empty room, Itachi bade a dimure 'goodnight' before exiting. Closing the door behind him, Itachi leaned his head against the wall in front with a muted '_thud_' and let out a sigh too small to be caught by one who wasn't listening closely. Threading his fingers carefully into his pockets, he pulled out a torn photograph. It was obviously well-loved for the edges were worn and yellowing. Itachi had debated getting a protective cover for it but then discarded the idea; the feel of the yellowing photograph seemed to be the only thing real enough to anchor him to reality these days. As much as he regretted observing the slow decay of the delicate photograph over time, it was possibly the only thing left to him of any worth.

Shifting his body for better light, he wistfully traced the outline of the taller figure in the picture. His mother, Uchiha Mikoto smiling brightly at him unsuspecting that only weeks after the photograph was taken, she'd have to flee konoha along with so many others. And on her lap was his obsession, the reason he stayed in the newly constructed compounds of the Uchiha clan withstanding against all of his father's abuse.

It was a child, perhaps not even a year old. The photograph was the only evidence of the child's existence. Too many hits on the face and head had robbed Itachi of the child's name, of the child's gender, of the child's existence. It was one thing that Itachi truly hated his father for, the theft of his sibling's identity. No matter how drunk the man got, the Uchiha prodigy could never get him to divulge the information on the better half of their family. It was almost as if Fugaku was determined to forget they existed at all. And it was at times like those Uchiha Itachi realized just how much Fugaku had loved his family.

Clenching his fist he carefully thumbed the cherubic face, committing each and fine detail to memory. The babe took after his or her mother, even at that early age. Already the black eyes were glowing with curiosity, raven dark hair sticking up left and right in an unruly fashion. A pale starfish like hand was fisted and waving at the camera and for a moment Itachi let a smile slip before clamming up again and closing his eyes.

He didn't want to forget, he couldn't forget, he wanted to see his sibling, he wanted to see his mother, he wanted his family back, he wanted, he wanted, he wanted... but he couldn't get it. So he waited, even though the rational part of his mind screamed at him that they were dead, they were all dead and that he would be too if he didn't get the hell out there while he could. But he waited, seeing the faint trickle of Uchihas coming back from all across the country, he waited and have been ever since.

Any new faces he saw, he asked (interrogated) of any news of his lost family. Over time bits and pieces had come together to tell him of what he had already known deep in his heart. Uchiha Mikoto had fled as far as possible during the war and the nine-tails attack that had followed, at her husband's request, taking the youngest with her. According to the far and few that had stayed with her during the chaotic period, they had made it over to the Water country where other bijyuus (fortunately weaker) had claimed hold over the land. They had split some time down the line, Mikoto lost and weary, traveling as far as she could while speaking the language. Mikoto Uchiha had been one of the best translators of Konoha when off-duty. Itachi knew that within the water country, she could have gotten to the eastern most point before stopping. From that point on, she and her youngest had dropped out of existence, changing their name to wait for a time when things might be safe enough to attempt crossing the watery border between Water and Fire. If she hadn't come back by this time, she was probably dead, or so his rational side told him.

Even if his little brother or sister had survived... what were the chances of a child surviving out there without a mother? If they had lived they would have been in their late teens by now.

Small bursts of unfamiliar chakara caught his attention. Hastily tucking the photo in his shirt (he found that unless he was on a mission, the picture took lot less damage in his shirt) he jumped up on the rooftops to see what was going on. The moon was only a crescent, not nearly bright enough to illuminate the skyline of Konoha. But he held his breath and waited.

In the moonlight, four shadows sped over the rooftops. The moonlight reflected off of their various masks and Itachi realized that they were all ANBU. He recognized Kakashi's crow like one to Obito's owl-like mask. Then the two in the middle, new, and probably from a different country from what he could see of their uniforms. A large man with a plain mask with blue markings alongside a smaller form donning a wolf-mask ran between the two of Konoha's ANBU. The one with the wolf-mask paused briefly, their head turning his way, before the one in plain mask signaled him to keep up. Kakashi, spotting him, broke off from the lead signaling others to stop as he jumped over towards Itachi.

"Yo Itachi, fine night isn't it?" the silver haired shinobi pulled his mask off, revealing a handsome face and dark gray eyes. The trio behind him watched in interest as Itachi stood up, revealing himself from the shadows.

"Kakashi-sempai," Itachi greeted politely. "Who are they?" and as Kakashi began to explain, Itachi looked sideways behind his elder's shoulders and at the two foreign ninjas. The large one he recognized easily and he berated himself for not remembering the obviously blue skin and hair. The second one however was a stranger, he had never felt such a smooth flow of chakara before or had he? Yes, there might have been a gennin, or someone of a lower rank loitering around the Mizukage's tower as he and Kisame checked in for a mission. To think that a genin had made such progress in that short of a time surprised him.

Itachi narrowed his eyes for a closer inspection. The ANBU was of a slim build but not thin by any means. Even in the poor lighting beneath the moon Itachi could clearly see that he was wiry, pound for pound with coiled muscles. His stomach gave a quiet jump; the presence of the wolf-masked ANBU excited him for some reason. The expanse of moony skin between the chin and the body-hugging shirt, and the open stretch of pale shoulders to his bare finger almost seemed erotic. Almost as if agreeing, his stomach gave another appreciative flip-flop.

"ANBU from the mist, one's someone you already know... ah... Kisame?" Itachi nodded, once at Kakashi and another at the shark-like man. They had worked well together despite the differences in training. The Mist-nin was definitely one of the better partners he had in a long time, it didn't hurt that Kisame was one of the 7 mystic swordsmen either. "It's some sort of an exchange program, the Mizukage is sending one of their best to teach some of the slack-assed ANBU we have in Konoha and in exchange the mist-nins will learn about our strategy and tactics."

Itachi frowned. The Mist had never been friendly with Leaf. The Mist had been never been friendly with anyone because it was geographically separated on all sides by a body of water. Usually the Water country never even bothered to participate in the political power plays between other countries, preferring to stand on the sidelines keeping to themselves.

Itachi narrowed his eyes.

"Isn't that dangerous?"

Kakashi shrugged, putting his mask back on his face.

"It's more to promote the relationship between the mist and the leaf. In fact, the smaller guy," Kakashi nodded towards the trio. "Can't speak much of our language, it seems that Kisame came to translate." Suddenly, as if he remembered something, Kakashi let out a small 'ah' before digging into his pockets. "Orders from the Hokage." Kakashi said finally, tossing the raven-haired man a tightly bound scroll. Itachi raised an articulated brow before unrolling the scroll and skimming though its contents. "You're required to report at 6 am sharp or face the consequences." Kakashi returned to the little group. Kisame gave a familiar mock-salute while Obito waved at his relative. The one with the wolf mask stayed still for a moment, Itachi could have sworn he saw through the porcelain and into the night-black pupils as the mist-nin gave him a polite bow. And one by one they followed Kakashi's lead, making their way towards the Hokage's tower.

Itachi stayed rooted to that spot on the roof for a long time. For the first time in years the memory of his family was pushed towards the back corner and a wolf-mask -hollow eyed and splattered in red- haunted his dreams.

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**A.C.:** About Itachi forgetting his sibling's name... in some cultures you didn't name a child until they were at least 100 days old. Because child mortality rate was so high during the ancient times, they put off naming their children just in case you know, they fell over dead. So uhh... Sasuke technically wouldn't have been named until he was at least three months old or something. 

You know... I could be studying right now... or finishing up my other fanfics

But this looked so lonely (wtf...) all alone in my documents folder!

Don't expect regular updates m'k?


	2. Sparrows

**Violets Never Die****  
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**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. Wish I owned Sasuke though...

**Warnings: Uchihacest **and probably a couple of other things too. Oh yeah, un-betaed.

**Dedication: Kurosaisei/Ayatsuji**-sama because she pwns :D hope you like it -bows-

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**A.C.:** Konoha-nin do use Japanese in forms of suffixes (only because I don't really feel comfortable without them) but this will not expand to say... a word. Unless the said word was 'sempai' because those things really don't translate well.

Crap this means that I have to use the English translations for attacks doesn't it?

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**Fnu, Lnu**- Thanks for the first review xD Ehh I suck at summaries, tried changing it buuut... -shrugs- and yes, as revealed below Sasuke is Sasuke but is lacking a last name.

**KiaraNxiar**- at this point in time I cannot tell you if Sasuke has the sharingan or not xP that'd just spoil the surprise... well kinda

**Ayatsuji**- I'll look forward to it then x3 (like always cuz I totally adore your reviews -hearts-)

And thank you Amber Stallion, Pionion, TheFoxGirlKitsune, moogle018, for reviewing you guys rock ㅅ.ㅅ

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Itachi was drifting.

_The sun was high above his head bathing him in a warm glow. A toddler giggled on his lap, a small hand reaching out for the blades of grass dancing in the breeze. He looked down fondly, not even pulling away when the child decided that the silky gray locks were more interesting than the felt-like green. The inky black eyes seemed to glow when they met his own; the child began to stuff a fist full of hair inside the mouth when a lone hand glided over to pluck the child out of his lap. _

_Itachi frowned at the newcomer still clad in an ANBU uniform and donning the wolf-mask. The stranger seemed to laugh politely at him as he played with the younger Uchiha. The child groped at the smooth porcelain glaze, the short fingers immediately latching onto the raven black hair. This elicited a haunting laughter; an echo of a memory, not the mist-nin's own. _

_The foreign ninja reaches out and grabs the saliva encrusted locks. He presses it to his mouth or where the mouth should have been had he not been wearing a mask. Itachi felt an overwhelming urge to pry the mask off his face when the other ninja let go of his hair, slight wetness tracing the impression of a mouth on the wolf-mask. The masked ninja's hand met Itachi's half-way and the toddler on the stranger's lap giggled brightly._

_They both melt away like the mist._

Itachi woke up.

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He blinked, his vision obscured by tresses of faded black hair. Slowly, he brought a hand up and pulled the stray locks back. He looked at the window, already knowing that he wouldn't see the rosy fingers of the dawn. It was morning in its full glory, the sun at a near forty-five angle with the sky ablaze with pale blue flame. A pair of muted-brown sparrows stared curiously and chirped at him from their perch on the windowsill.

Itachi rose like a ghost from his futon on the floor, leaving the sheets seemingly untouched and un-slept in from the night before. His eyes lacked the normal intensity as he stared outside, blinking sudden recognition at his surroundings. The birds chirped at him again before scattering into the air. He could still make out the shadow of their soft-edged wings against the sky. He figured he could still hit them with a kunai if he had wanted to. He threw open the window and aimed...

"Yo... holy shit! Watch where you're aiming that thing!!"

He had nearly stabbed his uncle in the eye.

Uchiha Obito looked pissed as he slammed his goggles over his eyes and poked Itachi in the chest.

"You my darling nephew..."

"... are late"

Kakashi hung down from the roof, a familiar book in his hands. The gray-haired ANBU captain scratched his head before flipping the page. Obito turned his glare at the man before looking back at the younger Uchiha.

"So get dressed quick..."

"...Because you're never going to live it down if you end up being late than Obito."

Obito glowered,

Kakashi beamed seemingly oblivious.

Itachi closed the window.

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"Where have you been?"

Tsunade looked angry and she had every right to be. It wouldn't do for the ninjas of the leaf to appear anything but regal and powerful on their own territory. Itachi being late, especially on a day when they were due to introduce the foreign ninjas to their village, was not acceptable under any circumstances.

Mainly because it tended to give people heart attacks when they found the Uchiha being anything but perfect

Before Itachi could apologize however, the blonde sannin turned away from him.

"Never mind." She immediately put on an apologetic face for their guests. "Now as we were saying before we were so rudely interrupted," she gave the three leaf ANBU a glare, "These two have been sent by the Mizukage as a sort of an exchange program to promote the relationship between the Leaf and the Mist."

Kisame grinned showing off his sharp teeth. Itachi noticed that Obito was trying desperately to stay far away from the blue-skinned man as possible; even putting a mildly bored looking Kakashi –who gave his best friend a long-suffering look- in between himself and the other ninja.

"They're one of the best ninjas the Mist has produced so far and they're here to learn our tactics and teach some of theirs to Konoha." She looked at the younger of the duo. "Could you please tell him to take his mask off?"

Kisame muttered something and the wolf-masked ninja replied,

"_Hai Hokage-sama."_

The mask was pulled off without much resistance as the red ribbons gave away and dangled at his wrists. The boy is beautiful because really, what else could be? Itachi isn't even sure the word '_beautiful_' is something to be used to describe a male. The inky black eyes and hair elicited a there-and-gone memory of a kinder face, but none of these thoughts showed on his face as they all shook hands with the foreign-nin.

"_Kiri no Sasuke desu. Yoroshiku."_

The Mist ANBU gave him a polite smile as the Hokage captured their interest once more. Almost lazily, the teen placed the mask back on his face and loosely tied the crimson cords around his head. Kisame made a small noise; Itachi glanced at him briefly and earned a toothy smile in return.

"It's your duty to make them feel at home and since you're already worked with Kisame before, it shouldn't be too difficult." Itachi nodded compliantly, not pointing out that the conditions Kisame could live in weren't exactly people friendly. (He still had trouble going near anything that resembled a puddle of mud) Tsunade waved her hand in dismissal, "now go. Go show him off to other people or something. It might not be a bad idea to give them a demonstration."

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They assembled at the training grounds some looking bored, others looking weary. The mist did not have the best of reputations within the country of fire. The few times they had seen the ninjas of the mist were during the genin exams and for some, during the few missions they were allowed outside Konoha. Even Shikamaru looked somewhat alert as two unfamiliar faces appeared before him in a cloud of smoke.

As Obito made introductions Itachi gave the wolf-masked ninja a sideways glance. There was something about the way he moved, the way how he popped his neck so casually when the leaf ninjas gaped at him that Itachi couldn't help but find familiar. Again, a long lost memory of waist-length raven hair taunted him from the beyond. He shook his head in mild frustration; he missed the odd look Obito gave him when Sasuke bowed.

"... So anyways Kisame and Sasuke here are going to give us a demonstration on what the Mist ninja can do..."

"Hey Obito-sempai! He looks strong I want to fight him!"

Obito slapped his face.

An ominous thud told them that Sakura's fist had met Naruto's skull and that the blonde was kissing the dirt at Sasuke's feet. Sasuke smiled and turned to Kisame to converse in the odd language of theirs. Itachi, ever perceptive, had started to learn few of the words already and began mentally picking out some of the suffix differences. Seemingly satisfied the teen turned away from his fellow ANBU. Kisame grunted out,

"He wants to know if he can fight them," the human-shark jerked his thumb specifically at the crowd of newly graduate chuunins, "kid thinks they got spunk." Murmurs rippled throughout the crowd as Naruto got up and wiped his head. Obito's migraine seemed to have intensified and Kakashi was secretly indulging himself with 'Icha Icha Paradise' once more.

Itachi frowned at this new development. Kisame threw the Uchiha another secretive grin.

"Hah, a ninja's always prepared!" before anyone could say or do anything to stop him; Naruto was holding out a kunai and shoved it in Sasuke's chest. Only the wolf-masked ninja was no longer there. Naruto's baby blue eyes went wide when he found a katana held to his throat. The raven-haired ninja literally purred with amusement as he breathed into the back of the blonde's neck.

"_Hitori wa... chotto..._"

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

With an explosion of smoke, blonde doppelgangers appeared all around them to the dismay of many. There was even a shrill 'Naruto!' as the pink haired kunoichi clobbered one of the clones. Sasuke was unreadable beneath the red splashed wolf-mask. He swiftly eluded the replicas –kicking some into the trees when they got too close- and phased before the real Naruto as the latter was forming a chakara sphere with the help of a clone.

Despite himself, Itachi's lips twisted upwards as the Mist's ninja quickly decapitated the double and turned his sword on the surprised blonde. Surprise quickly turned to determination and excitement as Naruto held out the _Spiraling Sphere_. A pair of orange-black sleeved arms held the foreign-nin by the shoulders.

Sasuke cocked his head, the sun glinting off the bone-whiteness of the ANBU mask.

"_Tanoshii da._"

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**A.C.:** ...and that was how Sasuke's first meeting with Naruto went... 

Yes Tsunade's the Hokage here. I suppose the third retired as an elder.

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_Kiri no Sasuke desu. Yoroshiku. - _Sasuke of the Mist, pleased to meet you.

_Hitori wa... chotto... -_ one person is a little..._  
_

_Tanoshii da. - _Amusing

So... I suck at Japanese, x.X leave me alone.

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Ehh... note to people who ask their classmates or whatever to translate second or third language for them.

Do not piss them off.

Because they have full rights within their powers to completely screw up the translations :D


	3. Rain

**Violets Never Die****  
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**A.C.:** I believe I just about died and a half trying to write this. Hah sorry, no iffy-romantic-fluff this time.

And it's longer this time!

Enjoy

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. Wish I owned Sasuke though...

**Warnings: Uchihacest **and probably a couple of other things too. Oh yeah, un-betaed.

**Dedication: Kurosaisei/Ayatsuji**-sama because she pwns :D hope you like it -bows-

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**Ayatsuji**- -watches PM jiggle like jello- I find coherency largely overrated x3 your reviews always seem to make my day, how do you do that? Btw, thanks for the lovely review on _Zenith_.

**Fnu, Lnu-** uhh well they look like they do Naruto II (or whatever it's called).

I guess Kakashi wears that ANBU uniform when he's on missions and the regular jounin one when he's not.

Same with Obito. Obito wears his forehead protector around his right arm.

Sasuke is wearing an ANBU uniform and a wolf-mask, his forehead protector is around his neck.

Kisame... nearly choked to death trying to imagine him in anything other than the Akatsuki uniform... err... I try to think of him wearing a trench coat over his ANBU uniform. Kinda like Ibiki. -gags-

**AmberStallion-** -whistles innocently- now why would you think that? xD –kicks all the deleted stories back-

...and thank you KiaraNxiar, Mint, sAyUrI-aNbU, Phantom Kitten, and TheFoxGirlKitsune for reviewing xD

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Naruto was about to force the spiral into Sasuke's stomach when the other ninja disappeared. Naruto landed on his knees, his clones falling out of the sky like hail before evaporating into plume of thick smoke. The ninjas behind the blonde suddenly looked wary. The one closest to him, Neji, looked as if he had seen a ghost. 

Naruto shook his head and happily accepted his beloved 'Sakura-chan's' help in getting up. Sai was at his right looking serious, not the usual poker face but with real emotions that left Naruto confused as he looked back at the one he had been fighting just moments before.

The masked ninja was rubbing a patch of hair where he had been struck seemingly exasperated at his elder as the shark-like ninja lowered his hand. Noticing the blonde's gaze the raven-haired ninja gave a curt nod, his amusement tangible even through the blank eyeholes of the red-slashed mask.

It had been an illusion. A powerful genjutsu set up by the Mist-nin, tricking Naruto into fighting himself.

Naruto felt cheated and it showed. He growled slightly baring canines a size too large for a normal human being. Sasuke stood his ground unperturbed; he had grown up with Kisame after all.

Itachi ended up ending the demonstration himself by sparring with Kisame. As the blue-skinned man's former partner, the Uchiha knew his moves best and was less likely to give away anything that the Mist might take to their advantage. The mock-fight ended in a draw; or rather they ended it in a draw. Itachi had been disappointed; he had wanted to fight the one in the wolf-mask.

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"Sasuke of the Mist... is very powerful."

Finding his voice Kiba quipped dryly,

"No really..."

Neji's jaws were set as he turned on the dog-lover, pale eyes quickly darting over the brunette's face.

"Itachi-sempai was smiling."

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Fugaku glowered churlishly when he saw Itachi enter the room. Itachi sighed quietly when he spotted the tell-tale bloodshot eyes and the crusts of dried blood caking the tatami mats. The blood would never come out, he knew from experience and he took a mental note to change them while the Uchiha patriarch was asleep.

"You're late."

It might not be a bad idea to coax Shisui into checking Fugaku's health while he was asleep. While by no means a talented medic, Itachi's older cousin was well versed in the art of healing.

"And you were not at the meeting."

No need to ask how Fugaku had known that. Once a ninja always a ninja, as Itachi had found out too often. When sober, the Uchiha patriarch could still spar with the best of them and win. As his father paced, Itachi focused on a torn knot in the mats, a habit he had picked up since the better half of his family had disappeared. He kneeled, acquiescent to his father's wishes as the man bellowed out accusations to his only -living- son.

When the roaring in his ears stopped, Itachi closed his eyes in inevitability of what was to come.

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"Cousin," Greeted Shisui easily as Itachi walked into his house. The older Uchiha frowned when he noticed the black and blue skin around the young ANBU's right eye. Sighing, Shisui turned the stove off and washed his hands in the sink. Performing a short one-handed seal, he barked out 'heal' and palmed Itachi's right eye. The discoloration dissolved completely as if it had never been there in the first place. Grumbling, Shisui turned back towards his soup and thumbed towards the ceiling. "Uncle's been waiting for you since forever, go."

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Obito was waiting for him on the rooftop, twirling a blade of grass between his thumb and the index finger as he stared at the skyline where four faces of Konoha's kages stared right back. He felt Itachi's presence dance over the rooftops but did not turn, instead patting the tiles beside him and bade the younger to sit down. When the young man refused to comply, Obito sighed, his legs tucked under his chin.

"Itachi, you can't do this to yourself anymore."

Itachi did not reply. He stood behind his uncle, his knees bare inches away from the elder's back. It never failed to amaze prodigy how easily the man trusted people, even when those people happened to be professional killers. As if sensing his thoughts Obito stood, stretched out his limbs and turned around.

He looked unhappy framed in the orange glow of the sunset. He _was_ unhappy. He always was whenever they had the 'talk'. His brownish eyes searched Itachi's blacker ones and though he did not see signs of visible cuts on the surface, he knew that he could always see the jagged edges of a weeping wound in his nephew's eyes. Itachi did not look away, simply resigned himself to the older Uchiha's scrutinizing gaze as he watched the sun sink past the horizon.

'_Wrong way,'_ someone echoed, _'behind you, the east...'_

Obito let out a small upset sound. The kinder ninja never did give a verdict on what he found in Itachi's jaded eyes.

"Itachi..."

Itachi turned on Obito suddenly furious. Grabbing his uncle's collar, he pushed forward until they were both at the edge of the roof.

"Did you not care for her?" Itachi demanded. Wheels were spinning madly in Itachi's crimson eyes. Obito gritted his teeth at how easily the younger Uchiha seemed to use his sharingan against everyone else, even those of his blood. "She was your sister." The man seemed to shudder, his hands clenching an unclenching at the pain of the internal war he was fighting. Obito wrenched free of Itachi's grasp and pinned him against the roof by his collar.

"Or course I care, but we're ninjas dammit!" the bloody color of the sharingan faded as the hands around Itachi's collar loosened. "We're ninjas..." the hands dropped and fell limply by his side. "We're ninjas..." Obito let out a gusty sigh and sat down on Itachi's stomach. Itachi let out a small grunt; in spite of his slim stature, his uncle was pure muscle and therefore very... heavy... The man looked younger than his reputed age of thirty years; he made Itachi look so much older in comparison.

"I thought..." Itachi said softly, "You would be the last one to say that uncle."

"Times change people change, you've changed to if you haven't noticed?" a half-smile lit up the Uchiha's face. "You used to be so happy..." Obito trailed off. "You could come live with me. It's not like your dad would notice..."

"I do not wish to intrude."

"You wouldn't be intruding."

"Kakashi-sempai would be displeased."

"Kakashi-_**sempai**_ can go screw himself. God knows a bit of celibacy isn't going to kill the doof."

"I'll be sure to tell him that then." Itachi disappeared from beneath his uncle. He appeared a heartbeat later standing a few strides away as he looked towards the opposite direction of where the sun was setting. There was a sad smile on the younger ninja's face, almost as if he was apologizing for what was to come.

Obito's eyes widened,

"Oh sh...!"

Biting down on profanity lest Shisui's mother heard and decided to investigate, the older Uchiha reached out for the slim form of his nephew when Itachi just simply disappeared. Cursing his luck, Obito vanished from sight a moment later, in hot pursuit of the genius of the Uchiha clan.

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He had been trailing the two newcomer's chakara signal ever since he had left them in Kakashi's care. It wasn't that he doubted his senior's abilities; it was just that the whole situation did not bode well. The problem was timing. Why now of all times? Why not before? Why not after and why... would the Mist send two of their best ANBU over? Already, Itachi's mind was processing the situation like a giant puzzle. Some pieces were in their place; others had fallen out and had become lost. He needed more to see what he wasn't seeing with his eyes.

He looked up. A bubble of chakara had split up, leaving its double with its companion while it floated across the rooftops. It was so subtle that he wouldn't have noticed it happening had he not been paying close attention. He wondered briefly if Kakashi had noticed and jumped out the window. It did not matter either way if the silver-haired ANBU had noticed that one of the ninjas had disappeared.

One of the reasons he had been called upon is to rectify circumstances in which one of the Mist-nins put a toe out of the line. And as he slid the torn photo into the protective cover of his waterproof pocket, he figured, this would be a reason enough.

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Kakashi wasn't blind to the Sasuke's actions but he didn't prevent the smaller ninja from leaving his apartment while a doppelganger took his place by Kisame's side. The blue-skinned man grunted when he felt the Leaf-nin's questioning gaze.

"He'll be back soon; he said that he had to check something out."

Kakashi thought about inquiring further but decided against it. It was not his place, not now, not ever. The silver-haired ninja collected the empty cups and dishes and stacked them on the coffee table. He sat back on the worn couch, silently counting down the minutes (or perhaps hours would provide to be a better increment) it would take for Obito to notice what was going on. 'He'll be late,' a voice quietly taunted as Kisame made another move with his white pieces on the makeshift go board. 'He always is and you know it.' He wasn't worried; it was only a mist-nin.

The copy countered with the black pieces. Kakashi had the distinct, itching feeling that he was being watched.

"You know..." Kakashi drawled, looking at the water clone. "I'd be interested in seeing how a match between _you_ and Itachi would turn out."

The young man burst in a spray of water. Kisame grumbled and pointed two fingers at the puddle. Immediately the droplets began to crawl over to the shark-like ninjas arm and were absorbed into the skin. Kakashi smiled beneath his mask --interesting. The larger man got up, taking care not to jar the different pieces on the checkered wood, and casually popped his neck.

Samehada in hand, Kisame threw the other ninja a toothy grin.

"So am I."

-

-

Violet lightning streaked across the sky allowing little light to be shone upon the black and steel of Konoha. The rainstorm had started earlier and now the wind was picking up into bursts of gale that buffeted around him and played with his hair. Tossing the sodden ponytail back over his shoulder Itachi watched.

It was him.

Kisame had always been prone to impulses but he was good at following orders. Under no circumstances would the shark-like ninja sacrifice the good of a mission for a simple outing.

Or was it?

The raven-haired ninja –Sasuke, Itachi quietly deprecated- sprinted across the rooftops, the rain obscuring his lithe form as he skipped from one tile to the next giving him the appearance that he had magically appeared into the air a second later when he hurtled through the space between one house to the next. The other slowed down as if he had been struck. The crimson ribbons around the back of his head were almost invisible against the night-black of his hair but the bone-like white mask seemed to radiate in the darkness, confirming the identity of its bearer. Sasuke looked up waiting, expecting Itachi to be there. If the Mist-nin had said anything then, he had no way to know.

The Uchiha's head hung low with his eyes flickering ambivalently from black to red, just barely discernable in the thickening darkness. He drew his katana. The other turned around at the whisper of the steel blade rubbing against its sheath. Itachi was amazed how opaque the rain looked; it almost looked as if it was raining tar or oil... or blood.

He heard the other sigh. Perhaps it was just the high-pitched whistling of the wind in his ears. Sasuke took a step back, in case Itachi decided to jump down from his perch on top of the tower like structure. The Mist ninja's hand was already groping his spine, fingers lightly caressing the hilt of his katana as Itachi looked down.

"It was not wise of you to have left."

Itachi was uncertain how much the Mist-nin understood but from the way the young man, boy really, tensed --enough.

Fugaku had once told him, before hope disappeared from their lives, before alcohol became air and before a torn photograph had become the center of Itachi's life, if he had a goal to strive for, he should let go of everything else.

Sasuke had been the first to effectively put his family out of his mind. To Itachi, that was simply not acceptable.

He struck with more emotion than he had shown any of his other opponents, even those dangerously close to his heart at a level where he could have called them a friend. It wasn't rage but it was nothing particularly benevolent, to him it was simply not meant to be shared.

Sasuke made a hand seal and slammed his palm down upon his sword. Electricity crackled out and Itachi jumped away. Sasuke swiped the air and before he knew it, the Uchiha was paralyzed from hip down and Sasuke was getting away from him. Sasuke had not wanted to fight, Itachi reminded himself dully. The raven-haired young man had another purpose tonight, something none of them were too sure about.

Itachi moved his foot forward. His toes were numb, his legs were numb and strangely his heart was numb too.

"Body flicker..."

Itachi brought his katana down on the young man's head. Sasuke jerked and rolled, he thrust a palm against Itachi's chest effectively repelling him against another attempt. Sasuke didn't want him near. His attacks, while heavy, were meant for short distances. The raven-haired ninja would only tolerate his elder's presence within a set limit; almost as if he was protecting something. Itachi noticed this and immediately twisted his wrist and thrust past Sasuke's defense towards the rain-slick wolf-mask.

Dark blood spurted through the cracks of the arm guard and faded away in the rain. Itachi narrowed his eyes. What was the boy trying to accomplish? Why was he so hell bent on preserving a simple mask?

Masks could always be replaced. One simply had to discard the old and put on the new. If one was not capable of leaving the past behind, one were not an effective ninja.

'_Does that mean you're incapable? Look at you, you can't let them go. You won't let him go. Greedy, greedy, greedy...'_

"Why?" Itachi uttered out, twisting his katana until the armguard was nearly pried off along with a chunk of skin. "Doushite?" half-remembered words flooded into his mind along with the rain. He recalled the first time his mother had been pulled out of her housewife duties, the first time he had seen her dressed in an ANBU uniform. The first time the situation in Konoha had gotten dire enough for the Hokage to pull all available ANBU out of retirement. He remembered her mellifluous words and how she had stroked his hair so lovingly asking him for the wait for her. She had come back that time; she hadn't come back this time. Itachi hadn't anticipated an answer out of the Mist ninja, so it came as a surprise when Sasuke spoke up through the torrent of rain.

"Kono kamen wa... haha-ue no kamen da. Ore wa... ore wa... _I need to find it._"

The last words surprised him. He didn't know that Sasuke was able to pick up languages so quickly. Itachi pulled his katana out of the other ninja's forearm and brought it up just in time to block one of Obito's roundhouse kicks.


	4. Words

**A.C.:** It's been a long time hasn't it? Merry Christmas, Happy New Years, Happy Holidays everyone.

And... YES I'M FINALLY... well I don't know what I am. Graduation's in February though o.o;; but I've lived through three years of high school... s (plural) it says something right?

No not really

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. Wish I owned Sasuke though...

**Warnings: Uchihacest **and probably a couple of other things too. Oh yeah, un-betaed.

**Dedication: Kurosaisei/Ayatsuji**-sama because she pwns :D hope you like it -bows-

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Thank you TheFoxGirlKitsune, Ayatsuji, foreverloved, dragonmage27, AmberStallion, buchouslvr, Jester08, and Ryuusui for reviewing x3 you guys made my year -cackles-

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The katana flew out of his grip as Obito twisted Itachi's dominant hand behind his back and kneed him in the legs. In between the rain and the dark, the older man missed and ended up jabbing the back of Itachi's thighs. The two raven-haired ninjas struggled on the rooftop before falling, Obito using his heavier frame to pin down his struggling nephew. The younger kicked and felt the other grunt in pain. Their eyes swirled in unison, black-on-red in a warning against each other. 

They heard muted clangs as others arrived on the scene. A pale hand immediately grabbed Sasuke by the neck and forced him down. Seconds later, a massive zanbato dug its tip into the metal-plated rooftop and began to absorb the chakara of everything around it. Itachi felt his body relaxing in spite of himself. Obito climbed off of his back sticking a kunai into the hem of the padded vest in a fit of childish revenge. Dogs scrabbled all over the roof as they shook their bodies repeatedly in the rain, Kakashi had arrived.

The gray-haired Konoha-nin whistled and gathered the canines by his side. One by one, muttering obscenity or another of being summoned in the middle of a rain storm, they disappeared until the only one remaining was a disgruntled looking pug, Pakkun, shivering at Kakashi's ankles. By this time, the cords of blue chakara had lifted. The sword, well fed, went back to its home in a sheath around Kisame's back. Sasuke would have fallen had his mentor not been there to support him. Samehada had been unusually demanding that night and he could see, just barely through the slits of his eyes, the soft blue evaporating off of the man's shoulders.

Obito reached out hesitantly, murmuring an inquiry of concern. Kisame muttered a quick reply, unusually brusque as Sasuke pushed him away. The younger male landed on his knees and elbows, bangs messily plastered against the ivory of his wolf-mask. The Uchiha frowned and backed away. Itachi sat up, scrutinizing the two Mist-nins with a calculating gaze.

Mist ninjas were nocturnal owing to the fact that most specialized in assassinations rather than direct confrontations. While it explained why after only spending one? Two? Days in Konoha they had grown so restless, Itachi could hardly think of a valid reason why the Hokage was insistent on keeping two top assassins of their age within the village walls.

"Why are they here?"

Kakashi shrugged, not at all surprised that Itachi had asked in the first place. Though they differed in age they were both ANBU captains and the silver-haired ninja could not withhold information from those of the same rank.

"Hokage's orders."

Itachi's lips quirked in mild disbelief. Obito approached the two once more. Sasuke had regained whatever innate strength he had left and was swaying precariously on his legs while devoting majority of his energy in shooting glares at the shark-like man. Kisame was doing his best to answer question while the dog at Kakashi's feet cocked its ears as if waiting for something.

"Kakashi?" Obito was quiet. He peeled his goggles off his head and was holding them in his palm, watching the nonexistent light filter through the orange tinted lens.

"Hmm?" both the dog and his master turned their heads to the dark-haired ninja.

"...Did you... know about this?"

Even through the dark, Itachi could see the tall man's grin, his fangs sharp and pearly white. Kakashi's answer was cautious and did exactly the opposite of what the man had intended to do in the first place.

"I only know what the Hokage-sama has told me."

The goggle flew through the air... and landed neatly in Kakashi's hand. The man did not even twitch as Obito phased forward and struck a fist into his gut. The pug shouted in alarm—with a very human voice Itachi was disturbed to find—and got to its four feet growling, as Kakashi staggered and bent over against Obito's arm.

"I'm not one of your students bastard; you can't just give me half-cocked answers and expect me to drop it."

"I figured," Kakashi wheezed. The lines around his eyes creased and his pupils sparkled merrily as Obito tossed another fist at the gray-haired ANBU captain.

"...But having a live bait in our village?!?"

As if to answer the angry Uchiha, Tsunade herself appeared before them, her fair hair disheveled and untied behind her neck, Shizune holding up a wooden umbrella in vain to shield the buxom woman from the elements.

"I see you've discovered the true reason behind their presence in the village."

-

-

The rain seemed as though it would last forever.

Thunder crackled every time the web of lightning stretched across the sky. It was the correct time period for torrential rains but with the coming of the foreign ninja into Konoha, it _felt_ wrong. The rain made it seem as though they were at a disadvantage here, even at the center of their village stronghold.

Sasuke sullenly held his arm out to the medic, grimacing when her fingers delved into the slash wound. His muscles flexed inadvertently, blood flowing darkly over his pale skin. Shizune threw the masked teen a wry look before continuing. Soon, with a glow of healing chakara, the wound was seared shut.

Obito tapped his fingers impatiently as he awaited an answer. Tsunade ignored the journeyman and turned towards Kisame with a frown marring her face.

"This could be a problem..."

The blue-skinned man snorted before interjecting,

"With all due respect Hokage-sama, you knew the risks."

"I can't have you bawling with Konoha-nin the second I take my eyes off of you."

Kisame shrugged,

"_I_ was not the one fighting,"

"Can't you control him?"

As if sensing that he was the subject of their conversation, Sasuke swiveled his head to glare at his elder again. The blue-skinned man countered it with a flat stare and shrugged. The blonde woman took that as a 'no'. She threw her hands up in the air and turned around to face the rain covered windows of her office. Pakkun sneezed and Tsunade sat on top of her desk, gripping the edge as she leaned back.

"... As you might have heard, Orochimaru has returned." They all stood up to attention at the name. This wasn't new, the snake-like man was said to have been spotted near the various hidden villages, searching for a promising young subject. Last time, a young man from lightning country had been taken for his ability to rejuvenate himself by coming in contact with the volatile element. As the three year anniversary approached, all those of blood-line abilities were on high alert. Itachi and Obito were no exceptions to this rule. "He is looking for a new body." Tsunade waved a lazy hand at the raven-haired teen. "And according to our sources Sasuke is the next target." Itachi risked a glance at the raven-haired young man. Sasuke's face was impassive, devoid of all emotions as his dark eyes sought out Itachi's own. Itachi held his gaze. In the end Sasuke broke it off as Obito asked,

"Wait, wait, wait. How the do we even know that this _is_ Sasuke? What does the snake-bastard want with him? And why the hell is he even here in the first place? Does Mizukage even know this...?"

"Sasuke is an ANBU captain of the Mist, it is not a title carried lightly in the area I am told. The Water country has sufficient forces to repel Orochimaru's attacks. However... with every attack they grow weary and..."

"...Decided to dump the him on us." Kakashi finished blandly, picking up the small pug by his ruff and preventing him from chewing up the rug.

"Not exactly... I asked for him. Sasuke is a very valuable ninja, enough that Mizukage was willing to risk a war with another nation. I simply offered to off the asshole but I needed a bait."

"Does he have a bloodline limit?" Kakashi asked, noting that the blonde Hokage hadn't answered all of Sasuke's questions.

"I'm not sure, there are things that they are hiding from us... but whatever it is, it must be good if that two-faced bitch is after him." the other five ninjas collectively winced as the edge of the desk broke off under her grip.

"And the sharkman?" Obito stuck a thumb at Kisame who was lounging against the wall.

"Sasuke does not speak our language," confronted with an offended look from the dark-haired ninja Tsunade elaborated, "...and he doesn't trust us. At any rate, I don't trust those two any further than I can throw them across the room, no offence,"

"Yeah, who can be offended with the idea that the Hokage might trust them with her life?" Obito muttered. Tsunade shot him a poisonous look and he backed away nervously gulping. He shot forward the instant he came in contact with Kisame however, and latched on to Kakashi's right arm.

"And I was thinking of splitting them up anyways because I need Kakashi to do something for me." Sighing, the blonde turned to the younger Uchiha. "And since you already know why they are here, I would appreciate it if you looked after one of them... perhaps Sasuke... since he would be safer within the Uchiha compound."

"I am not sure if my father would agree to this..."

"It's good for your education young Uchiha, it's important to take on a second language in this age you know." Tsunade sniped, casually blowing at her nails. "Hokage's orders, I'm sure you'll do nicely."

"He is to be the bait for Orochimaru. He's to stay here more or less our prisoner until we have successfully removed sannin Orochimaru as a threat." Itachi summed up, crossing his arms across his chest. "And what does _Sasuke._" A strange name, three syllables Sa-su-ke, the middle lightly carried, a familiar name but strange. It was easy to wrap his tongue around the name but somehow difficult to enunciate at the same time. "...Have to gain from all this?"

Sasuke stood up and wrapped the ribbons of his mask around his neck. He sucked in a deep breath and pulled the ANBU chest piece down to his hips. Kisame gave a snort of a laughter while shaking his head. Obito whistled appreciatively while Kakashi merely quirked an eyebrow in surprise. Tsunade puckered her lips into a pout; Shizune began to chew the fingernail on her thumb. Itachi had no opinion of this matter except that Sasuke was... thin, it made him want to perhaps hand feed him in the nearest future—he blinked, _where had that come from?_ The underlying material was surprisingly flexible and stretched easily when the young man hooked two fingers into the neck of the shirt and pulled it down until the left side of his neck was bared to the office air.

There were three comma like dots, the heads facing the inside and the points facing out—like a sharingan—scratchy rings of what could only be seals looping the marks. Sasuke pursed his lips silently and let go of the black cloth. It bounced back to cover his shoulder and neck.

"Orega korosu."

Kisame translated needlessly—"he wants to kill him."

-

-

It wasn't too hard to move Sasuke from Kakashi's home to his own. What little possession the other ninja possessed went into a dark-blue duffel bag that seemed as though it had seen better days. Kisame had smirked broadly when they had parted—he had made a comment in that infuriating language of theirs and received a punch from Sasuke for it—the shark-like ninja would remain with Obito in Kakashi's apartment until further notice. Currently, Kisame was in the Hokage's office, discussing the reason for his stay as opposed to his protégé's.

Itachi grimaced inwardly as he saw yet another woman crash into a streetlight while staring at the exotic Mist ninja. Sasuke was wearing civilian clothes which meant in Water country, something that could seriously constrict respiratory functions—of both the wearer and the ones around them—when worn. Whatever material the top was made of, it fit the young man's torso snugly and left very little to imagination. And with the rain, every time the teen so much as turned his head, he could see the fabric stretch tantalizingly over the narrow waist. Obito sniggered as a man fell into an open manhole.

And it wasn't helping that Obito kept engaging the other in a light banter throughout their walk. The other man had a rare glint in his eyes, usually spelling trouble for those around him and mostly Kakashi, who would have borne the brunt of the punishment. Unfortunately as the Hokage had explained last night, the silver-haired ANBU captain had been called away on a mission to Earth country. Thus Itachi would be forced to reckon with the black sheep of the Uchiha family.

In a rare attempt at capturing his uncle's attention he asked,

"Do you think father will accept him?"

"Can't see why not? Even got the summons from the blonde hag, multiple copies in case I loose 'em." Obito shook his umbrella, a pout forming on his face. "Man this sucks."

Sasuke stared at them curiously with half closed eyes as if sensing the change in the atmosphere. Sasuke, whose country had made it necessary to rough it out in storms, seemed unperturbed by the heavy downpour. He shook his head and brushed the stray locks of black.

"Sucks?"

"...tenkiga warui? Itachi, how would you hypothetically translate a word that could also possibly mean a certain oral activity?"

"...Kakashi's rubbing off on you uncle."

"Ah... you... not like rain?"

Obito shrugged,

"It shouldn't be raining this hard that's all."

Itachi stopped and Obito bumped into his nephew as Sasuke held a hand up in the air. The thin shirt rode up his lithe body, exposing a solid band of white skin between the hem of the shirt and the waist of his pants. Obito looked away embarrassed and Itachi could not explain the slight quivering of his stomach any more than he could explain the slow burn over his cheekbones. The raven-haired Mist ninja retracted his hand. The black material slid noiselessly over the shallow dip of his hipbones as he licked his finger down to his palms.

"...What's the verdict? Err... naze?" Obito asked nervously.

But Sasuke did not answer, staring intensely into the clouded heavens. And it was Itachi, who answered with a cynical,

"Perhaps the rain has come to wash us all away."

-

-

By the time they arrived at the Uchiha compounds they were soaked. Muttering something about not wanting to be there, Obito ran off back to his and Kakashi's communal apartment. Sighing, Itachi handed the younger man his vest and secured it over his shoulders. Sasuke gave him a crooked smile, one corner of his lips going up while the other stayed firm. Their eyes met and the teen's gaze was bolder this time, provocative and forward. This time, it was Itachi who broke it off. The other corner of the teen's lips shifted upwards as well. The Leaf ninja pretended not to notice. Preparing for the worst, he took a deep breath and was about to announce himself and their visitor when his father appeared from the corner, a small towel around his neck.

His expression was that of heavy irony as he looked from Itachi to Sasuke and back.

"I was told that we were to have a _visitor_ to our home."

Of course, his father would display nothing but perfection in the eyes of others. But his gait was heavy as he slid the paper-and-wood doors open, eyes blood-shot and the skin puffy and yellow. He turned around, prompting the two young men to step inside the austere room.

Sasuke made a respectful bow in greetings, waist bent at a 90 degrees angle.

"Kiri no Sasuke desu, yoroshiku."

Fugaku stared at the young man strangely, an expression so rarely seen that it seemed foreign across his face. And slowly, the Uchiha patriarch too bowed, dipping his gray head low enough to be level with Sasuke's.

"Okagesamade, yoroshiku."

-

-

"Is the room not to your liking?" Itachi asked, eyes following the slim legs dangling from the roof. There was no answer from the other ninja, but Sasuke landed deftly back on earth, his feet barely disturbing the thin layer of mud as he straightened up. The young man seemed comfortable in the heavy rain, his slender form seeming to disappear behind the veil of water.

"Nanda? Omae no gengo, wakaranai."

"I do not understand."

"Understand?" the roll of the 'r' in that word was almost nonexistent and so was the 'd'. Sasuke pronounced it un-da-stan several times before getting it right. It was endearing in a way. Itachi sat down on the porch, one hand over his knees the other supporting his chin.

"Comprehend," Itachi fired off reflexively then searched for an easier word. "Know,"

Sasuke nodded,

"Wakaru."

"Is that your word for it?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"I suppose I can persuade Obito to visit more often. This could be difficult..." but the idea of inviting the other Uchiha was a depressing thought. He rather liked the relationship as it was now—just them, no one else in between.

"Kyoudai ka? Obito-san wa,"

Itachi studied the teen's face carefully wondering what he had just asked.

"Obito is an idiot."

The raven-haired young man got out of the rain and sat down beside him. Itachi shifted his face to another hand, not minding the stray droplets of water as Sasuke bent forward and wrung his hair dry. He hadn't thought it long at first but the rain had somehow managed to tame the wild hair down to his shoulders. They were dark—darker than his certainly—and the kind of lustrous black that his mother used to possess.

"Baka ka?"

He understood, Itachi mused lightly. Hadn't someone once said that one learns another language through insults first?

"A pleasant idiot. He's my uncle on..." he drifted off wondering if Sasuke was able to put two and two together on his own to figure out that the loud-mouth, overly sensitive, overprotective, flake was not related to his father except through some distant ancestry who obviously had genetic kinks to work out. But then it didn't seem quite right that he was a blood relative to his mother either.

"Pleasant?"

"Nice."

"Ah..."

It was probably past midnight and the rain had yet to abate. Sasuke seemed to enjoy it—probably reminded him of his homeland—and watching him Itachi found that he did not have the usual urge to take out his photograph and reminisce over it. Much later when even Sasuke's shirt had dried on his skin he spoke out loud, "Fugaku-san... nice..." Itachi nodded absentmindedly, "and..." he turned slowly as the young man continued, "Itachi-san too is... nice."

The thoughts of the photograph evaporated instantly.


End file.
